A few times a year, I weed through their bookshelves and give books away to charities or friends. Recently, I figured it was time to just get rid of all the picture books on their shelves since my kids now read “thick books” or “really thick books” as they say. But every time I placed a picture book in the discard pile, Beck, my 8-year-old, retrieved it with various excuses as to why he must keep just this one, and also that one, and definitely this one. Then, he sat down and read them all. He declared that he still needed these books so we could not give them away yet.

It turns out that many educators agree with him. Picture books are used in upper elementary and even middle schools to teach important character education lessons, social studies and science concepts, writing techniques, and, of course, simply for the pleasure of a good book. Picture books are also used for more advanced readers since many are written at a high Lexile level.

When I asked Beck why he liked picture books, he listed eight reasons and eight particular books that he recommended to other kids.

2. “They are silly and teach me about writing.”

This mini-adventure story about Rufus the Fox running away from Babette the Sheep is told in a series of entertaining similes that are reinforced with colorful illustrations. As a third-grade writer learning how to use literary devices like similes and metaphors, this book has even greater meaning to my son now.

3. “They are signed by the author.”

I was fortunate to meet the amazing Kathryn Otoshi, author of several character education books that are loved by kids and adults, and she autographed this book for my kids. It’s a wonderful story about One and Two who are best friends and do everything together until one day when Three wants to play with One. Totally realistic friendship issues unfold and get resolved in this engaging tale.

4. “They make me think about big ideas.”

This book, published in 1970, relates the adventures of the Pollutians who storm the beautiful meadows of a world inhabited by the peaceful Wumps, causing the Wumps to go into hiding as a mass of concrete and steel rises around them. This book is a great conversation starter to talk about the environment, global warming, and our role as humans in our world.

5. “They make me learn about the world.”

This is the true story of the author’s life as a young girl in Zimbabwe (formerly Rhodesia) at a time when girls were not supposed to be educated. We learn about her journey to earn a Ph.D. in the U.S. and return to her home village to share her love of education. I love picture books that open kids’ eyes to other cultures and experiences.

6. “They are like old friends.”

I loved the Mr. Men and Little Miss series as a kid and they became favorites for my kids as evening read-alouds. The simple characters with consistent personality traits, silly situations, and poetic lilt to the text are captivating to kids.

8. “They make me laugh.”

This one can induce a giggle from my son — or me — at any moment. This book is made up of five very short stories about two hippo friends named George and Martha. Each one reads like the synapse of a sitcom episode with illustrations and text that are simply perfect.